I love living in Nashville and I feel like I discover a new place every week. This is a PARTIAL LIST of some of my favorites and recommendations. There are literally HUNDREDS of bars, restaurants and music offerings in and around Nashville.
RESTAURANTS
12/30 CLUB – UPPER BROADWAY
Justin Timberlake’s place on Upper Broadway. Always live music in the honkytonk downstairs during the day and upstairs at night. Order the fried chicken downstairs – comfort food at its best! Upstairs, get the sushi at the Steakhouse…amazing!
HAMPTON SOCIAL – 1ST ST NEAR LOWER BROADWAY
Bottom level bar with live music, middle floor outstanding restaurant with view of Cumberland River, Rooftop bar with the same view – loud music, good food for bar food. They have a cool wall with flowers perfect for selfies!
SKULL RAINBOW ROOM – PRINTER’S ALLEY
Jazz dinner club with bar. Live music and outstanding food. Burlesque show on Saturday nights – make reservations for a late dinner seating.
MIDTOWN CAFE – MIDTOWN
Tiny little place, high end meal and prices. Food is OUTSTANDING!
ASSEMBLY FOOD HALL – DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE
Can’t decide what you want? This place is huge and has a ton of different food outlets and shared seating.
THE CHEF & I – WEST END
Innovative Farm to Table cuisine. Super yummy, not cheap.
ATTRACTIONS/MUST SEE’S
DOWNTOWN BROADWAY – DUH!
Honkytonk bars galore! If you don’t like the music in one, don’t stay….go find another one! There are TONS!
GLEN CAMPBELL MUSEUM & RHINESTONE STAGE – DOWNTOWN
Country legend and icon Glen Campbell is immortalized at this unique museum. Live music happens often and a self guided tour of the displays, which are pretty impressive.
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME – DOWNTOWN
If you love country, this is a must while in Nashville. The displays change out every couple of months.
MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME – DOWNTOWN
If you just plain love music in general, you’ll be impressed with this display!
NASHVILLE FLEA MARKET
Seriously! Not just any flea market – this has multiple buildings filled with an average of 200 booths of handmade goods, used goods, antiques, food, health products, you name it. It will take you a full weekend to get through it all. It is open one weekend a month.
GAYLORD OPRYLAND HOTEL
Just walk through the botanical gardens and sit by the waterfall. Take the boat around the moat and grab a drink at the bar. It is a Disneyland-like setting!
THE PARTHENON – WEST END
Ever watch the movie Percy Jackson? It was filmed here! A “to size” replica of the actual Parthenon. $10 entry to the museum, and it’s worth it. Bring your camera (er, phone!)
SONGWRITER ROUNDS & SHOWCASES
Please don’t leave town without going to at least one singer/songwriter round.
The Bluebird Cafe made it famous, and it is hard to get tix. So try…
The Listening Room – excellent venue and amazing songwriters.
3rd & Lindsley – songwriter rounds and great live music.
Live Oak – songwriter rounds and music, plus their steak salad is pretty yummy.
The Local – songwriter rounds and music. Small bar, locals vibe.
The Hutton Hotel at Analog – very cool, velvet curtain vibe for great shows!
Whiskey Jam at Winners Bar & Grill (Midtown) – super fun music showcases that jam!
VAN GOGH IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE/GALLERY
This is an amazing experience and none like I’ve ever been to for an art show/display/gallery. The video is displayed 360 degrees, floor to ceiling telling the story of Van Gogh through his art and his music. It is a moving experience! They also have a Disney experience which is new!
THE GRAND OLE OPRY – MUSIC VALLEY
Country fans MUST see a show here! Go early to get your pic in front of the giant guitar and grab a bite at their food kiosks. From country old timers to country first timers, no show is ever the same! If you can’t see a show, take the tour!
THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM – DOWNTOWN
If you can’t take in a show at “The Mother Church,” take a tour! So much rich country music history here and the venue itself is amazing for the live performances.
ANDREW JACKSONS THE HERMITAGE – HERMITAGE
Located about 25 minutes north east of Downtown. Andrew Jackson’s estate that is HUGE! Take the tour of the original home then meander the property for a guided tour. It is stunningly beautiful and filled with history!
CHEEKWOOD ESTATE & GARDENS
Once the family home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, this extraordinary 1930s estate, with its historic mansion and 55 acres of cultivated gardens and expansive vistas, today serves the public as a botanic garden, arboretum and museum. WORTH the drive!
MY FAVORITE BARS
DOWNTOWN BROADWAY
Whiskey Bent – usually traditonal country, always an excellent band and it always smells like leather.
Wildhorse Saloon – if you want to line dance, this is the place! It is absolutely huge..and Luke Combs is taking it over!
The Wild Beaver – a block off Broadway with a mechanical bull and karaoke.
Legends – bands here play country that you will know and they play it well.
AJs Good Time Bar – Alan Jackson’s bar with 4 levels, including one with karoake and a small rooftop. Always a Good Time here!
Casa Rosa – Miranda Lambert’s bar with live music on bottom and top level. Middle is the restaurant – food is great! Miranda sometimes makes a surprise appearance.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge – this place is legendary, launching careers of some of the greats. 3 levels including rooftop, where is is always rocking!
Aldean’s & Luke’s – multiple levels and live music. Always packed, but a fun vibe. These two bars are connected at the rooftop level.
OLE SMOKEY DISTILLERY – DOWNTOWN
This place needs it’s own category. You can do a moonshine tasting that is fun and surprising. They have a killer gift shot and walls of moonshine! Plus live music, bar and food.
SANTA’S PUB – OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN
A local’s favorite and worth the short drive. It’s a double wide trailer, decorated in tacky Christmas flair, beer and White Claws only, cash only (ATM in the parking lot), and karaoke. What more could you want?
PRINTERS ALLEY
A short walk from downtown Broadway and worth it.
Skull Rainbow Room – do not miss the Burleque show on Saturday nights! The bar is always packed, standing room with excellent live jazz music and food.
Bourbon Street – you’ll feel like you are in New Orleans! Lots of punch packed into a small space. Great bands and fun ambiance.
The Bobby Rooftop – not in Printers Alley, but right around the corner. It is a hotel with a killer rooftop bar. there is a full size bus converted to chill space. There are also “pods” during the winter with heaters. Incredible views.
Hidden Bar at Noelle – you’ll never find it! Ask a local. A true speakeasy with night club vibe.
The Whiskey Shot – cool bar, live music and a shooting range simulator…welcome to Tennessee!
MULTIPLE LEVELS & ROOFTOP BARS
If the bar you walked into is crowded…go up! They probably have a second and third/rooftop level! Great views of downtown and fun vibes.
POP UPS & HIDDEN BARS
There are several speakeasy bars to choose from. I have not been to a ton of them, but there’s always time to explore!
MUSIC VALLEY PUB CRAWL
These three bars are in walking distance and offer a different vibe at each one.
Nashville Palace – the famous Nashville Palace has a front room bar with classic country bands jammin’ on stage. Head to the back where you’ll find a HUGE dance floor where they feature DJ music, line dancing, line dance lessons, the Cowboylesque Dance Show and often live shows too.
Scoreboard – Do not miss The Spazmatics on Sundays! A high energy dance cover band with a twist of comedy. You won’t be sitting down long, plus you’ll meet the locals. Full restaurant, lawn games and tons of special events in summer.
Music City Bar – classic country fans will love this place! The house band sounds just like George Jones, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings all wrapped into one. A small dance floor and stiff drinks!
MIDTOWN/WEST END
The Local (WEST END) – live music and songwriter rounds. Yes, the locals go here.
Losers & Winners (MIDTOWN) – if you don’t like one bar…go next door.
Red Door (MIDTOWN) – very popular and cool vibe!
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW??
Tip The Band! – Bring cash to tip the band, or you can usually Venmo them. TIP THEM! They don’t make a lot and tips are how they survive. Remember, there is no cover charge, so take what you would have spent on a cover to tip the band.
Crosswalks in downtown Nashville hold all the cars so you can walk right thru the middle of the intersection. That said, if the light is green for cars, but “No Walk” for peds, just wait.
Pace Yourself – the bars are open until 3am ya’ll….you can slow down and have some water.
Cost of Drinks – drinks are a bit spendier downtown, so if you’re on a budget, check out some of the bars outside of downtown.
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